Grand Meadow, MN

Grand Meadow is a small town located in Hennepin County, Minnesota. The population was 2,912 at the 2010 census. Grand Meadow is located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area and is within easy driving distance of both Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The town of Grand Meadow was founded in 1872 by George A. Smith and named for his father's home town of Grand Meadow, New York. The original settlement consisted of a few buildings around a general store operated by Smith and his brother-in-law, Wm. Fenton. In 1874, the first post office opened in Grand Meadow with Smith as the postmaster. The town grew slowly at first; however, by 1880 it had a population of 50 people and boasted two businesses: a blacksmith shop operated by Jno Dyer and a grocery store run by John Schoenfeldt with James Koehler as assistant grocer.

In 1886, the railroad came to Grand Meadow and began to change the fortunes of the townspeople forever. With access to larger markets now available through rail transportation, businesses began to open up all around town – including banks (the First National Bank opened in 1890), hardware stores (the J&J Hardware Store opened in 1896), furniture stores (the A & P Furniture Store opened in 1897), restaurants (the Red Rooster Restaurant opened in 1899), hotels (the Hotel Excelsior opened in 1902), and more! By 1910, there were over 100 businesses operating in Grand Meadow – making it one of the most bustling small towns on Minnesota's North Shore at that time!

However, despite this rapid growth period – which continued into the 1920s – there were also some tough times for residents of Grand Meadow during these years: during Prohibition (1919-1933), many local businesses went out of business due to prohibition laws prohibiting alcohol sales; furthermore, during World War II (1939-1945) many men enlisted or were drafted into military service leaving women behind to manage their families' businesses while they were away; finally, after World War II ended there was an economic recession that hit many small towns hard throughout America – particularly those located on Minnesota's North Shore which had been heavily dependent on military spending during WWII! Nevertheless, despite these challenges – which have been largely forgotten today thanks to Grand Meadow's thriving economy today – residents persevered and today enjoy one of the most vibrant small towns on Minnesota's North Shore!